Ep 3. Episode 3
- TV-MA
- April 13, 2009
- 50 min
-
8.0 (628)
King Henry VIII is in a state of despair following the loss of his beloved wife Jane Seymour in the previous episode. In episode 3, the king is struggling to come to terms with his grief, and the desperate measures he takes to cope with his loss have far-reaching consequences.
As Henry tries to come to grips with his loss, he becomes increasingly disillusioned with his current wife, Anne of Cleves. Though he has only been married to her for a short period of time, he sees her as unattractive and distasteful, and begins to fear that he will be forced to stay with her for life. His advisor, Thomas Cromwell, sees this as an opportunity to further his own agenda, and steps in to offer the king a way out.
Meanwhile, across the seas, political tensions are brewing between England and France. King Francis of France is determined to take back the territories that England has seized from him, and sends an envoy to King Henry to demand that he relinquish his claim on the land. Henry, however, is in no mood to be pushed around, and refuses to back down. This sets off a chain reaction of political skirmishes and battles, which threaten to escalate into all-out war.
At the same time, the Catholic Church is gaining a new ally in the form of the fiery and devout Bishop Gardiner. Gardiner becomes increasingly influential within the Church, and begins to use his position to oppose Henry's religious reforms. This sets him on a collision course with the king, who sees the bishop as a threat to his power and authority.
As the episode unfolds, Henry becomes increasingly isolated and erratic in his behavior. His grief over Jane's death has pushed him to the brink of madness, and he is willing to go to any lengths to regain control of his life. With enemies closing in on all sides, he has to make some tough decisions about his future and the future of England.
Overall, The Tudors season 3 episode 3 is a dramatic and intense installment of the series. It showcases the political maneuvering and religious conflicts that defined the era, as well as the personal struggles of one of England's most notorious monarchs. Fans of the show will be on the edge of their seats as they watch Henry navigate his way through these treacherous waters, and try to find some semblance of peace in the midst of chaos.